Door mechanism



Patented Nov. 16, 1926.

UNITED s-TATEsrATENT OFFICE.,

CHARLES o. ToMKINsoN, 0E rDAiizifIELD,- NEW JERSEY, AssIGnon To 14. EDWARD OGDEN, OF MOUNTAINVILLE, NEW YORK.

Doon MEcHAN'IsM.

Application led March 6, 19'24. Serial No. 697,183.

This invention relates to doors and particularly to doors of the type used in warehouses,

pier .sheds or like structures.

Doors of the character specified are usually' made in sections and to open the doors,

the sections are raised to overlapping position andare then swung laterally or inwardly to inclined position, thus conserving headroom. Such doors are very large and heavy in construction and to facilitate the operation thereof, counterweighting means is provided.-

In one form of construction, tracks are used to, cooperate with rollers or lugs on 7 the door to swing the door sections inwardly and to guide and support the sectionsas they are moved to inclined or horizontal position. Such tracks have curved portions for swinging the sections and substantially horizontal portions for supporting and guiding the sections after they have been swung from the vertical into inclined position. v In order to effectively counterbalance doors of the type specified, there are three lll different stages or conditions which must loev met during 'the opening and closing of the door.

One counterbalancing condition is encountered when the lower section is raised to a position overlying the upper section.

The second stage is encountered when the two sections are traveling in the curved portion of the track and are swinging out o 3." the vertical plane to a position in which the upper end of the combined sections is disposed on' the horizontal portion of the track. The, third stage is encountered as the upper ends of the combined sections travel in -on the horizontal 'portion of the track and the door-is swung to its wide open or inclined position. v w

During the lirst .stage when the lower sec- F' tion is rising to a position overlying the up- 1" per section, the counterweightrequired is equal tothe weight of the lower section.

' During the second stage the counter-l -f'Aveightfrquired varies from the fullweight of the combined sections are supportedon' the horizontal portion of the track.

During the third stage when the upper ends of the combined sections travel on the horizontal portion of the track the counterwelght required is equalto one half of the Weight of thecombined sections.

To meet these conditipns it is necessary that counterweighting` means be so connected to the door sections that the counterwelghtmg eiiect will lvary in accordance with" the' requirements and will counterwelght the lower section during the first stage and the combined sections during the second and third stages and in counterweighting the combined sections, the coun'- terweighting effect I'should be reduced from a counterweight equal'to the .full weight of bothsections to a counterweight equal 'to one half of the combined sections.

v This invention has vfor its 'salient object to provide counterweigh-ting mechanism for doors so constructed and arranged that asubstantially perfect counterbalance will be effected inv all positions of movement of the door sections.

Another object of the inventionis to provide a counterweighting mechanism for doors so constructed and so connected to the doors that the .counterweighting effect will f be varied in -accordance with the requirements therefor during the openingandfclosing movementsof the door. Further objects of the'invention will appear from the following specification takenv in connection with the drawings, which form a part of this application, and in which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the door constructed in accordancewith the invention, the door sectionsbeing shown in closed Fig.l 3- is a view similar, to Figs. 1 and 2,

but showing the combined sections after they ha-veinished their travel in the curved portion of the track and have reached the hori- -zontal portion of the track.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figs. llto 3, but showing the combined sections in their wide open position.

Fig. 5"'is an elevational view partly broken i n substantially on line 6 6 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken substan` tially on line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

The invention has been worked out in connection with a door comprising two sections and the gist of the invention consists in so connecting counterweighting means to the upper and lower door sections that the counterweighting effect will conform to the countei-weighting requirements during all portions of the cycle of operation-of the door sections. In order to accomplish these results and to vary the counterweighting effect ias the-requirements vary, the horizontal and vertical components of the counterweighting 'force on the doorsections are varied or varyingly neutralized during the movement of the upper'ends of the door sections around he curved .portions of the tracks in accordance with the counterweighting requirements and are neutralized during the travel on the horizontal portions of the tracks.

section substantially at the center thereof.-

With vthese locations of the sheave and'of the cable connection to the upper door section,:the counterweighting effect of this cable connection is neutralized during the travel ofzthe upperends of the door sections along `the horizontal portions of the tracks. Further details of the invention will appear from the following description.

, A In the drawings thereis illustrated a two' section door comprising a lower section '10 andan uppe'i` section 11. The llower section 10 has secured to' its edges in brackets 12, rollers 13, which as the door is raised l.engage vertical guiding strips ortracks 14 secured in any -suitable.niann'er to the Wall of the building. The'v uppersection 11 is provided as shownin Fig.'7 with inwardly.

extendingwlanges 15, which overlapA `out- Twarkilly extending portions 16 ofthe lower door section, thus guiding this s'ection'in its upwardmovei'nent. The lower section has secured thereto lugs 17 adapted to engage the under surface of the lower `end 18 of the upper section 11 when the lower section has been moved to a position overlapping -the upper section as shown in Figs. 2, 3

and 4.

In they particular embodiment of4 the invention shown, the means for moving the .doors inwardly after the lower section is elevatedy to a position overlying the upper section, comprises a pair of guiding and supporting tracks 19 secured in any suitable4 manner to the frame structure of the buil-ding and having grooves 2O in which are positioned rollers or lugs 21 mounted on the side edges of the upper door section 11.

The tracks 19 have curved portions 22 for zbreaking in the door or swinging the door vout of the vertical-plane and substantially horizontal portions 23 for guidi-ng the doors as they are swung to inclined position and for assisting in supporting/the doors after the rollers 21 reach vthe horizontal portions of the tracks. The portions 22 of the tracks which guide the upper ends of the doorsections vertically and horizontally coincidentally need not necessarily be curved but may be inclined in such a manner as to accom' plish practically the same result.`

As above stated, in order to effectively counterbalance the doors in allpositions of their movement one half of the cou'riter weighting effect should. be available during n the movement ofthe lower door to a posi- It has been found that the result-s enution overlying the upper door section and 'one half of the counterweighting effect should be available after the doors have reached theposition shown in Fig. 3, namely, the position in which the rollers 21 have reached the horizontal portion 23- of the completion of this portion of the-movement. f

The counterweighting mechanism by means of which these results are accom-l plished `will now be describedf- In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. l to 4 inclusive Va single counterweight or a 4pair of single counterweights, one -on each` side of the door opening,` are provided for" bothy door sections: although as shown in Fig. 5 a separate counterweight.` could lbe provided for each door section. When both secgle counterweight or lthe pair 4ofv single counterw'eightsis preferable. Inthis construction, v a counterwei'ghtl 30 lhas secured izo i tions weigh substantially the same', the sin-1 thereto a sheave 31 around which passes a f cable 32. The cable" 32 has' one length there of extending around a sheave 33 mounted on yof cable is connected to the lower door sec-A tion l() adjacent the lower, end thereof as shown at 35. The other length of the cable 32 passes around a sheave 36 l'opsely mounted on the .stationary pivot or shaft 34 and the end, of this length of cable is connected to the upper door section substantially, at the center thereof as indicated at 37. The shaft 34 is located approximatelyl on the level of the horizontal part of track 20. Sheaves 33 and 36 are preferably provided at each end of the shaft 34 and a counterweight 30 is connected to the door sections atv both side edges thereof. Any suitable operating means for hoisting the door sections may be utilized, such, for example, as mechanism for rotating sheaves 33.

Since one end of the cable 32 is connected to the lower door section and since during the first stage of movement of the door sections the upper section does not move, it will be evident that one half of the weight of the counterwe-ight 30 will be effective during the movement of the lowe'r` section from the position shown in- Fig. l 'to the position shown in Fig. 2 on account ofthe two to one reduction mechanism comprising sheave 31.

Moreover, since the point 37 yof connection of the cable 32 to the upper door section l1 is located substantially at the center thereof, the horizontal and vertical components of the counterweight forcewill be varied4 or its lifting effect varyingly neutralized in ac'- cordance with the counterweighting requirements during the movement of the door sections from the position shown in Fig. 2 .to the position shown in Fig. 3 as the point 37 moves'4` outwardly away from the initial verticalip'lane of the door section 11. Therefore, the counterweight force acting on the Idoor sections will be decreasedduring the movement `of the; door 'sections around thecurved portion of the track;

It is well known in this art that a door of 9the character described has considerable fric- I tion in operation and that a,v practical balance can always be obtained by an approximation of the correct theoretical balance.'

Itshould be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to an exact point of attachment 37 forf'a given sheave position or ha 'given position of the pivot 34 but that points -located adjacent these points will give AaV practical balance.

It should also be understood-that the in- ,vention is not" limited tothe use of a single counterweight'for balancing both door sec- '1, Itions but thata lse arate counterweight may eo shown'in Fig. 5, at 40 and41.

be used for each oor section if desired, as

'- Although certain specific 4embodiments of invention is capable' of modification andthatchanges in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating partsy may be 'made without departing from the spirit, or scope of the"invention as expressed in the following claims.

-l-Vhat I claim is: 1. Door mechanism comprising a plurality of door sections movable vertically and laterally, track means for guiding' said sections laterally, said track means v`having acurved portion and a substantially.horizontal por-v tion, counterweighting means for said door Vsections connected to the lower Adoor section adjacent the -lower end ,thereof and to the upper door section substantlallyat the 'center thereof and sheaves mounted on a pivotI disposed above the path of moveinent of the' door sections and oyer which the connecting* cable passes from the countervveightingI means to the door sections, the pivot of said sheaves being located substantially in alinement with Athe horizontal portion" of the track.

2. Door mechanism Icomprising an upper door section andalower door section movable. vertically and laterally, said lower section.being.,movable to a,position overlying thea upper section and both ofsaid sections being subsequently movable in unison vertically Aand laterally/to. inclined Position,

means for "guiding thefupper ends of saidA sections in acurved lpath and in 'a substantially horizontal pathA and counterweighting means p'eratively connected to said lower 'door'. section adjacent the lower end thereof flexible means, said sheaves being disposed substantially in alinement with the horizontal path of movement of the'upper ends of said door sections. l

3. Door mechanism comprising an upper door section and a lower door sectionl movable vertically and laterally, said lower door section being movable to a position overl ing the upper door section and both of sald sections being subsequently movable in unison inwardly to inclined'position, means for guiding the upper ends of said sections in a curved path and in a substantially -horizontal path, counterweighting means comprising a counterweight, a sheave on the counterwelght, a pair-of sheaves disposed above the path of travel of the door-sections and a cable passin sheave overt e sheaves and having one end connected to the upper door section substantially aty the center thereof, the counterweight sheave over which the cable passes around the A counterweight 'I A guiding said sections laterally and guiding and supporting the sections as they move to inclined or substantially horizontal position, and counterweighting means comprising a counterweight, a sheave on' said counterweight, a pair of sheaves disposed above the path of travel of the door sections anda cable passing around the counterweight sheave and over the sheaves and having one end. connected to the lower door section and the other end connected to the upper door section substantially at the center thereof, the sheave over which the cable passes to the upper door section being located substantially in alinement with the horizontal portions of the track means. v

5. Door mechanism comprising the combination of an upper door section and a lower door section, said sectfons being movable vertically and laterally to inclined position, track means having curved and substantially horizontal portions for guiding said sections, counterweighting means, cable connections between the counterweighting means and the door sections and cable sheaves i mounted on pivots substantially vtially horizontal portion, counterweightin ,4

alined with the horizontal portion of said 35 track means.

6. Door mechanism comprising the combination of an upper door section and a lower door section, said sections being movable vertically and laterally to inclined po- 40 sition, track means having a portiony for y guiding the upper end of the door in apath u 1n which said upper end has a vertical comT'fff ponent of movement and having a substa means, cableconnections between thlj counterweighting means and the door sec-y tions and cable sheaves mounted on pivotsw substantially alined with the horizontal portion of said track means. 50 7. Door mechanism comprising a door, said door being movable vertically and laterally vto inclined position, track means having a portion for guiding the upper yend of the door in a path in which said upper end 5J has a vertical component of movement and a substantially horizontal portion, counterweighting means, cable connections between the counter-weighting means and the door and cable sheaves mounted on pivots sub- 6" stantially alined with the horizontal portion of said track means, said vcable bein connected to the door substantially at the center thereof.

In witness whereof. I have hereunto set 65 l my hand this 4th day of March,l 1924.

CHARLES o. TOMKINsoN. 

